Ed Helms To Star In Comedy ‘Epic Fail’ For Lionsgate

Lionsgate has come on to develop Epic Fail, a comedy from producer Nicky Weinstock and Ed Helms, who co-developed the original idea. Helms is now attached to star in the pic, which centers on an elite but unorthodox Special Forces team that takes their dysfunction and excessive firepower on a desperate mission to save America — led by the only soldier more badass and more mustachioed than a Navy SEAL: The Walrus.

Mike Arnold and Chris Poole will pen the screenplay. The duo has several scripts in development including the Black List script The Grackle. Weinstock is producing via his Invention Films banner along with Helms and Michael Falbo’s Pacific Electric Picture Company shingle. Invention’s Whitney Thomas will executive produce. Lionsgate’s Erik Feig, Matthew Janzen and James Myers will oversee for the studio.

11 Comments

Sat in a pitch with Arnold and Poole and kept thinking “Really? These are A-list comedy writers?” Then I dozed off…

Alfred E. Newman • on Mar 10, 2014 3:11 pm

It’s a perfect title that’s what this will be an epic fail. How can Helms and Weinstock be proud about co-developing such a stupid idea? The Walrus? Not even MAD Magazine would do something so idiotic and that magazine has always been run by “the usual gang of idiots” but as wacky as they are they don’t do anything as dumb as this.

Trent • on Mar 10, 2014 3:11 pm

It should be noted that Helms’s first sale was a comedy called Underdogs written by Arnold that they sold to ABC this season.

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2014 3:11 pm

Shouldn’t Hulk Hogan star in this? He has a walrus mustache.

Fan • on Mar 10, 2014 3:11 pm

Love Ed Helms, but this shows that Lionsgate has cash to burn. Terrible idea. I’d rather see Helms in a remake. Maybe Brewster’s Millions?

Bill C. • on Mar 10, 2014 3:11 pm

Ed Helms has horrible taste.

HAP • on Mar 10, 2014 3:11 pm

And he’s not funny.

LA screenwriter • on Mar 10, 2014 3:11 pm

>> “The pic centers on an elite, but unorthodox Special Forces team that takes their dysfunction and excessive firepower on a desperate mission to save America.”

Gee, you know, I really liked this idea and it’s execution…when it came out as TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE.

On a more positive note, hopefully Helms’ involvement with this will tie him up and prevent him — or best of all, completely squash — the horrible idea of him taking on Leslie Nielsen’s classic Frank Drevin role, and rebooting the NAKED GUN/POLICE SQUAD franchise for Paramount. Because an even bigger “epic fail” is stamped all over that idea.